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Sally Pearson has plenty of dash...but on the soccer field? Photo: Reuters

Unfortunately for the Socceroos, soccer doesn’t get the pick of the litter when it comes to young athletes in Australia. The best are going to other codes, lured by fame and big money. But what if soccer was the dominant code?

Australia’s best athletes from other sports might now be lining up in a green and gold guernsey. We’ve imagined what that XI might look like.

The rules: the player needs to be fit enough to play at the level, which rules out the likes of Adam Scott or Mark Webber. The code they play needs to have some similarities to soccer, ruling out Australia’s tennis players. And preferably they need some experience kicking the ball with their feet.

Dustin Fletcher Photo: Pat Scala

Formation: 4-4-2 Coach: Wayne Bennett Assistant: Kevin Sheedy

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Dustin Fletcher - Goalkeeper

The man with the longest reach in AFL also happens to be one of its older practitioners - two qualities that make him the perfect candidate to sit between the sticks. Wingspan is vital in this position. Legend has it that Dutch great Edwin van der Sar got his start in keeping because he was the tallest player on his youth soccer team.

Jamie Dwyer - Right full-back

The three-time World Hockey player of the year fits in as a well-balanced full-back who isn’t too bombastic in attack - a good compliment to the more offence-oriented Slater. Dwyer plays as a midfielder and striker for the national hockey team, but here he’s squeezed into defence where his agility and acceleration will let him go with opposing wingers. Neat technical skills a bonus.

Billy Slater - Left full-back

Bill ''see you'' Slater has time and again demonstrated his ability to win the important moments that turn matches via his raw pace, strength and agility, skills that can be tapped to both defend against onrushing wingers and bomb crosses forward to the strikers.

Harry Taylor - Centre-back

Every good defensive combo needs a lumbering heavyweight, and Taylor is this team’s big body. The Geelong player is dominant in the air and good enough on the ground, and would comfortably mark opposition targets. Even better, he’s adept at finding himself in the right position at the other end of the ground to score - handy for set pieces.

Laura Geitz - Centre-backGeitz is tall, fast, and reads the game to perfection. Dominant in the air and on ground, the Diamonds captain makes our cut. She’ll play more of a sweeper’s role - think Lucas Neill in `06 - pushing up off the line and picking off intercepts while Taylor sits back.

Michael Clarke (c) - Defensive midfielder

Clarke is a winner and a leader who expects perfection from himself and his teammates, and a winning team needs that type of player - think Makelele at Chelsea. He’s also our captain. Tactically, he take risks when he needs to and knows when to go for the jugular, but can also take the sting out of the opposition’s attack when the game turns against us.

Adam Goodes - Box-to-box midfielder

Goodes is a power athlete with great skills who can play in any position. We were originally going to play an attacking midfielder here, but Goodes offers dominance across the park. A tall player with a midfielder’s skills and a forward’s instincts, our reigning Australian of the Year is impossible to match-up on. Plus he’s a big-game specialist.

Sally Pearson - Left winger

The Olympic gold medal-winning hurdler has pace to burn. Another winner, we expect her to form a good partnership with Slater. We acknowledge the 100-metre runner is a burst athlete, but with a defensive (Clarke) and a central (Goodes) midfielder screening the defence, there’s room for at least one player who doesn’t get back in defence.

Israel Folau - Right winger

Some irony here having Folau play yet another code. A tall, rampaging power athlete, we think he would have no trouble converting to this code. The only question is where to put him - and why not on the wing, where he will menace any defence.

Patty Mills - Striker

Australia’s NBA championship winner plays on the shoulder of the taller Franklin, looking for knock-downs and through-balls from midfield, allowing him to use his pace to break away from defenders. Good dribbler and finisher, and the most agile player in the team.

Lance Franklin - Striker

We’re going with a traditional tall-small combo to lead our attack. Franklin offers dominance in the air, but is also a freak athlete at ground level. Powerful and mobile, like the great target men - think Dzeko or Cavani. Plus he possesses a rasping long-range strike, making him dangerous from any distance.